1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector with a function of locking terminal fittings inserted into a housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,397 discloses a connector with a housing that has opposite front and rear ends. The housing has cavities that extend from the front end to the rear end and locks that extend into the cavities. Female terminal fittings are inserted into the cavities from the rear and are locked by the locks. Insertion openings extend into the cavities from the front and allow the insertion of tabs of male terminal fittings. Mold-removal spaces also extend into the front of the housing so that the locks can be molded. The insertion holes and the mold-removal spaces communicate with each other.
The mold-removal spaces are narrower than the insertion openings for a normal size connector. Thus, slanted guide surfaces for guiding the tabs into the insertion openings can be formed at the upper or lower edges of the insertion openings, thereby taking advantage of a difference in these widths.
The locks for a miniaturized connector must be sufficiently wide to achieve the necessary strength even through the terminal fittings and cavities are narrow. Thus, the mold-removal spaces must be at least as wide as the insertion openings. In such a case, slanted guides cannot be formed at the edges of the insertion openings toward the mold-removal spaces, and the tabs may be inserted into the mold-removal spaces instead of into the cavities.
As a countermeasure, U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,702 discloses a retainer that is mountable into the housing in a direction normal to the inserting direction of the terminal fittings to lock the terminal fittings. The retainer has a front wall that extends along the front end of the housing. The front wall of the retainer has through holes that align with the insertion openings of the housing. Slanted guide surfaces are formed at the opening edges of the through holes. In this way, the slanted guide surfaces can be provided in areas corresponding to the mold-removal spaces.
A retainer mounted into a housing typically is displaceable between a partial locking position where the insertion of terminal fittings into cavities is permitted and a full locking position where the retainer engages and locks the terminal fittings. Accordingly, the front wall of the above-described retainer slides along the front-end surface of the housing as the retainer is displaced.
The terminal fittings can be inserted when the retainer is at the partial locking position. Additionally, the locks can be deformed away from the terminal fitting when the retainer is at the partial locking position so that the terminal fittings can be withdrawn from the cavity. Thus, it is necessary to form the front wall with jig insertion openings that face the mold-removal spaces when the retainer is at the partial locking position to enable the locks to be deformed by a jig inserted through the jig insertion opening.
The jig insertion openings can be formed separately from the through holes for a normal size connector. However, intervals between adjacent cavities are smaller for miniature connector. Thus, the jig insertion openings must communicate with the through holes for the other adjacent cavities. In such a case, a slanted guiding surface cannot be formed in an area of the opening edge of each through hole communicating with the jig insertion opening.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to enable portions of mating terminal fittings to be securely guided into cavities.
The invention relates to a connector with a housing that has opposite front and rear ends. At least one cavity extends through the housing from the front end to the rear end. The housing is formed with at least one lock for locking a terminal fitting inserted into the cavity. The front-end surface of the housing has at least one insertion opening so that portions of at least one mating terminal fitting can be inserted into the cavity. At least one mold-removal space also is formed in the front end of the housing and is created as a mold for forming the lock is removed. The lock locks a terminal fitting inserted into the cavity. However, a jig can be inserted into the mold-removal space to disengage the lock from the terminal fitting so that the terminal fitting can be withdrawn. A retainer is displaceable at an angle to an inserting direction of the terminal fittings between a first position where the insertion and withdrawal of the terminal fitting is permitted and a second position where the retainer engages and locks the terminal fitting in the housing. The retainer has a front wall that is slidable substantially along the front-end surface of the housing. The front wall of the retainer has at least one through hole that faces the insertion opening when the retainer is at the second position. The front wall of the retainer also has at least one jig insertion opening that faces the mold-removal space when the retainer is at the first position. A tapered retainer-side guide is formed in an area of the opening edge of each through hole, and the front-end surface of the housing has at least one tapered housing-side guide.
The corresponding through holes and jig insertion openings preferably communicate with each other.
A tapered retainer-side guide preferably is formed in an area of the opening edge of each through hole excluding a communicating area with the corresponding jig insertion opening.
The tapered housing-side guides preferably are at the areas of the opening edges of the through holes that communicate with the jig insertion openings when the retainer is at the second position.
The slanted guiding surfaces are formed over substantially the entire periphery of the opening edge of the through hole by the retainer-side guide and the housing-side guide even if each through hole communicates with the corresponding jig insertion opening for the other adjacent cavity. Thus, the tab of a male terminal fitting can be guided securely to the insertion opening.
Guiding means preferably are provided at each housing-side guide and the opening edge of the corresponding jig insertion opening for sliding contact with each other and at least one of the guiding means is substantially parallel with a sliding direction of the front wall as the retainer is displaced.
The guiding means preferably slide in contact with each other when the front wall is slid. Thus, the front wall can be moved along a specified path.
A surface of each housing-side guide opposite the corresponding insertion opening may define a slanted introducing surface substantially facing the opening edge of the jig insertion opening for the adjacent cavity. Thus, the jig can be inserted easily into the jig insertion openings.
The front wall preferably has at least one reinforcement projecting at an angle to a wall surface of the front wall and extending substantially in transverse direction. The reinforcement prevents the front wall of the retainer from being curved along forward and backward directions.
The retainer preferably comprises two supports extending from the opposite lateral walls of the retainer main body. The front wall preferably spans at least partly between the front edges of the supports and preferably is located substantially along the front-end surface of the housing.
At least one of the left and right edges of the reinforcement preferably is coupled to the support
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.